Could your horse be at risk of frostbite?

We can all relate to the chilly, tingly, numbing feeling of ears, nose, fingers, or toes exposed too long to cold. Horses are not very susceptible to frostbite, but when it happens it can be difficult to treat.

Frostbite occurs when tissues become frozen and ice crystals form inside cell membranes.

Sick, rundown horses or very young foals are at the greatest risk. The most commonly affected areas are the tips of the ears, the end of the penis, the coronet and the heels.

The first sign is that the skin becomes paler and then crusty with hair loss.

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